U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 is now accepting applications for sustainable materials management grants to fund recycling markets or food waste reduction projects in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Proposed projects must focus on enhancing plastics and paper recycling markets, or preventing food waste or diverting food waste from landfills. EPA plans to award grants of $30,000 to $60,000 to fund three or four projects.

Sustainable materials management is a systemic approach to use and reuse materials through a product's entire lifecycle to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce costs.

“EPA supports building a stronger, more resilient recycling system and reducing food waste to help fuel our economy, create jobs, conserve resources and prevent waste,” said Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede in a statement.

The deadline for submissions is April 30 at 11:59 p.m. ET. EPA will notify selected finalists by early July, and grants will be awarded by September 30.